FALL AND WINTER CRUISES; A Traffic Jam at the Wharf

IN the Caribbean, cruise lines are seeking new ports as competition grows for space in this prime winter destination. The larger ships, unable to dock in many ports, take another tack, concentrating on the ship itself as the main destination and visiting fewer ports.

Beginning in May, the Grand Princess of Princess Cruises will call at the recently opened port of Mahahual on the Yucatan Peninsula south of Cancun, where excursions are offered to the Museum of Mayan Culture in Chetumal. From this port, the Maya ruins of Oxtankah and the recently excavated Chakchoben, dating from 360 B.C., are accessible, as is the Chinchorro coral reef, which is comparable in size to the 189-square-mile island of Cozumel.

The ports of Houston and New Orleans and some on the west coast of Florida as well as Fort Lauderdale and Miami are departure points for the increasingly busy western Caribbean, with several cruise lines including a partial transit of the Panama Canal through the Gatun Locks for a turnaround in Gatun Lake, then calling at another recently developed Yucatan port, Calica.

For the first time in at least 40 years regularly scheduled cruises to Havana for Americans are being offered by Cuba Cruise out of Nassau and by West Indies Cruising out of Montego Bay. Citizens can take these cruises without violating federal regulations on travel to Cuba because the trips start outside the United States, are booked in a foreign country and are being operated by a foreign line. Also, passengers eat and sleep on board in port, and shore excursions are run by a Canadian philanthropic group, so no money is spent in Cuba.

Royal Olympic Cruises' newest ships, the Olympic Voyager and the Olympic Explorer, each carrying 836 passengers and having cruising speeds of 28 knots, are using their higher speeds to cover distances between a wider choice of ports during 11- to 16-night cruises that include the Amazon and the Orinoco Rivers, and Windstar's luxury sail cruises continue their calls to Nicaragua and Costa Rica's less visited Pacific Coast ports.

The United States Lines, returning to ocean travel as part of American Classic Voyages, offers whale watching on its seven-night Hawaiian Islands cruises aboard the Patriot, the former Nieuw Amsterdam, out of Honolulu, starting in December, and for the first time, Norwegian Cruise Lines moves into Southeast Asia next year for a series of cruises from Bangkok, Tianjin (the port for Beijing), Singapore and Hong Kong.

At least eight ships are roaming the globe on world cruises this season, one of which, P & O Cruises' newest ship, the Aurora, will depart from Southampton on Jan. 6 on its 90-night inaugural world cruise.

Giving new meaning to the term ''grand tour,'' the first floating condominium, named the World, will try to follow fair weather while visiting natural attractions and attending cultural events when it makes its debut in 2002, offering 110 two- or three-bedroom apartments of 1,100 to 3,200 square feet. Travelers can buy the right to use this seafaring home for 50 years, starting at $2 million. Information: www.residensea.com.

This directory mainly covers cruises from Nov. 1 to Feb. 28. Dates, ports of call and fares are for one person in double occupancy, excluding port taxes. Except where noted, all major ships have sprinkler systems throughout. More information is available from travel agents or the cruise lines. Addresses, telephone numbers and Web addresses appear on Page 30.

Year round -- Three- and four-night cruises departing on Thursday and Sunday from Port Canaveral, calling at Nassau on three-night cruises or Freeport and Nassau on four-night cruises. From $615 to $1,385.

Year round -- Four- and five-night cruises from Miami, calling at Key West and Cozumel on four-night cruises or either Grand Cayman and Calica or Grand Cayman and Ocho Rios on five-night cruises. From $705 to $1,765.

Starting Nov. 13 -- Four- and five-night cruises departing on Thursday and Monday from Tampa, calling at Key West and Cozumel on four-night cruises or Grand Cayman and Cozumel on five-night cruises. From $705 to $1,765.

Nov. 4 to Feb. 24 -- Seven-night cruises departing on Saturday from Fort Lauderdale, calling at Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman, Cozumel and Key West or San Juan, St. Thomas, St. Martin and Nassau. From $1,149 to $5,949.

Nov. 4 -- Seven-night voyage from San Juan to Aruba, calling at St. Thomas, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, Barbados and Grenada. From $699 to $3,599.

Nov. 11 to Dec. 30 -- Seven-night cruises departing on Saturday from Aruba, calling at St. Thomas, St. Kitts, St. Lucia and Barbados, and from Jan. 6 to Feb. 24, calling at Colon, Gatun Lake, Limon, San Blas Islands and Cartagena. From $899 to $3,799.

Starting Nov. 17 -- Ten- and 11-night cruises departing from Fort Lauderdale, calling at St. Martin, St. Lucia, Barbados, Antigua and St. Thomas on 10-night cruises or Curacao, La Guaira, Grenada, Barbados, Martinique and St. Thomas on 11-night cruises. From $1,399 to $4,499.

November to March -- Seven-night cruises from Martinique calling at St. Lucia, Tobago Cays, Bequia, Barbados, Mayreau, Grenada or St.-Barthelemy, Virgin Gorda, Jost Van Dyke, St. Thomas and St. Kitts. From $1,613 to $4,132.

Commodore Cruise Line

Enchanted Capri

Capacity 637 passengers; 15,410 tons, outdoor pool, fitness center, casino, international cuisine; entered service as the Azerbaijan in 1975, refurbished in 1997; no full sprinkler system.

Year round -- Two-night cruises to nowhere departing on Friday from New Orleans and five-night cruises departing on Sunday, calling at Cozumel and Progreso. From $369 to $1,845.

Enchanted Isle

Capacity 725 passengers; 23,395 tons, outdoor pool, fitness center, casino, international cuisine; entered service as the Argentina in 1958, refurbished in 1994; no full sprinkler system.

Year round -- Seven-night cruises departing on Saturday from New Orleans, calling at Playa del Carmen, Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Montego Bay. (Sailings from Jan. 27 to Feb. 3 call at Roatan and Belize instead of Grand Cayman and Montego Bay, and on Dec. 12 an 11-night voyage from San Juan to New Orleans calls at St. Croix, Soufriere and Castries on St. Lucia, Grenada, Aruba and Ocho Rios.) From $1,180 to $2,800.

Year round -- Seven-night cruises on Disney Magic departing Saturday from Port Canaveral, calling at St. Martin, St. Thomas and Castaway Cay. From $799 to $4,089.

Year round -- Three- and four-night cruises on Disney Wonder departing on Sunday and Thursday from Port Canaveral, calling at Nassau and Castaway Cay. From $434 to $2,864. Cruise-vacation packages at Disney World available on both ships.

EuroCruises

Black Watch

Capacity 761 passengers; 28,492 tons, two outdoor pools, fitness center, casino, international cuisine; entered service as the Royal Viking Star in 1972, refurbished in 2000.

Nov. 12 and Dec. 2 -- Ten-night cruises from Fort Lauderdale, calling at St. Kitts, Martinique, Trinidad, Roseau and Cabrits on Dominica, St. Thomas and Half Moon Cay. (Sailings on Nov. 22 and Dec. 12 call at Antigua, St. Lucia, Barbados, Point-a-Pitre and Basse-Terre on Guadeloupe, St. Thomas and Nassau.) From $1,179 to $4,103.

Capacity 1,494 passengers; 53,872 tons, two outdoor pools, one with retractable dome; spa, fitness center, casino, international cuisine; entered service as the Homeric in 1986, refurbished this year; no full sprinkler system.

Nov. 4 to Feb. 25 -- Seven-night cruises from Fort Lauderdale, calling at Nassau, San Juan, St. Thomas and Half Moon Cay. (Five- and eight-night cruises from Jan. 6 to Feb. 25 also stop at St. Martin.) From $599 to $2,701.

Jan. 6 to Feb. 15 -- Seven-night cruises from Fort Lauderdale, calling at Bonaire, Margarita Island, St. Lucia, St. Kitts, St. Thomas and Nassau or St. Kitts, Martinique, Trinidad, Dominica, St. Thomas and Half Moon Cay. From $1,469 to $5,421.

Mediterranean Shipping Cruises

Melody

Capacity 1,076 passengers; 36,500 tons, two outdoor pools, fitness center, casino, international and Italian cuisine; entered service as the Atlantic in 1982, refurbished in 1997.

Dec. 8 -- Nine-night voyage from Miami to San Juan, calling at Tortola, Antigua, Martinique, St. Martin, St. Croix and St. Thomas. From $959 to $5,159.

Dec. 24 to Feb. 25 -- Seven-night cruises departing on Sunday from San Juan, calling at St. Lucia, Antigua, St. Martin, St. Croix and St. Thomas or Aruba, Curacao, Tortola and St. Thomas. From $949 to $5,499.

Nov. 5 to Feb. 25 -- Seven-night cruises departing on Sunday from Miami, calling at Grand Cayman, Ocho Rios, Nassau and Great Stirrup Cay or Nassau, San Juan, St. Thomas and Great Stirrup Cay. From $899 to $5,799.

Norwegian Wind

Capacity 1,748 passengers; 50,760 tons, two outdoor pools, spa, fitness center, casino, international cuisine, choice of restaurants; entered service as the Windward in 1993, lengthened and refurbished in 1998.

Dec. 5 -- Eleven-night cruise from Miami, calling at Great Stirrup Cay, Tortola, Antigua, St. Martin, St. Croix and St. Thomas. From $1,299 to $5,399.

Nov. 4 to April 14 -- Seven-night cruises departing on Saturday from San Juan, calling at Trinidad, Barbados, Antiqua, Tortola and St. Thomas, or St. Thomas, St. Kitts, Martinique, Margarita Island and Curacao. From $699 to $2,849.

Nov. 15 -- Five-night cruise from San Juan, calling at Virgin Gorda, St. Thomas, St.-Barthelemy and St. Martin. From $1,448 to $4,346.

Nov. 20 -- Seven-night cruise from San Juan, calling at St. Martin, Barbados, Martinique, St. Kitts and St. Thomas. (Additional sailings on Nov. 27 and Dec. 4, alternating between San Juan and Aruba and calling at St. Thomas, St. Kitts, Martinique, Barbados and Grenada.) From $1,948 to $5,921.

Dec. 11 -- Seven-night voyage from San Juan to Fort Lauderdale, calling at St. Martin, St. Thomas, San Salvador and Nassau. From $1,948 to $5,921.

Jan. 28 -- Four-night cruise from San Juan, calling at Virgin Gorda, St.-Barthelemy and St. Martin. From $1,795 to $3,595.

Feb. 5 -- Seven-night voyage from San Juan to Gatun Yacht Club, calling at Curacao and Cartagena. (Sailing in reverse direction on Feb. 12 calls also at San Blas Islands.) From $2,321 to $5,596.

Year round -- Seven-night cruises departing on Sunday from Fort Lauderdale, calling at St. Martin, St. John, St. Thomas and Nassau or Key West, Cozumel, Grand Cayman and Ocho Rios. From $1,399 to $5,349.

Nov. 2 and Dec. 9 -- Four-night cruises from Barbados, calling at St. Lucia, Bequia and Mayreau. From $1,990 to $3,040.

Nov. 6 -- Seven-night voyage from Barbados to St. Thomas, calling at Mayreau, St. Lucia, Dominica, Nevis, St. Croix and Virgin Gorda. From $3,510 to $5,440.

Nov. 13 -- Five-night cruise from St. Thomas, calling at Virgin Gorda, Antigua, St. Croix and Jost Van Dyke. (Additional sailings on Jan. 3 and Jan. 8 call at St. John, St. Croix, St.-Barthelemy and Jost Van Dyke.) From $1,748 to $3,920.

Nov. 18 and 25 -- Seven-night cruises from St. Thomas, calling at Virgin Gorda, St. Croix, Antigua, St.-Barthelemy, St. Martin and Jost Van Dyke and in reverse direction on Nov. 25. From $3,510 to $5,440.

Nov. 29 -- Seven-night cruise from San Juan, calling at Roseau and Portsmouth, St. Martin, Virgin Gorda, St. Croix and Santo Domingo. (Additional sailing on Dec. 6 calls at Guadeloupe, Antigua, St. Kitts, St.-Barthelemy and Fajardo.) From $2,290 to $7,680.

Dec.13 -- Seven-night voyage from San Juan to Fort Lauderdale, calling at St. Martin, St.-Barthelemy, Virgin Gorda and Fajardo. From $2,290 to $7,680.

Nov. 4 and Dec. 2 -- Fourteen-night voyages between Fort Lauderdale and San Diego, calling at Aruba, Caldera, Acapulco and Cabo San Lucas. (Sailing in reverse direction on Nov. 18.) From $3,149 to $9,799.

Year round -- Three- and four-night cruises departing on Monday and Friday from Los Angeles, calling at Ensenada and, on four-night cruises, San Diego, Santa Catalina Island and Ensenada. From $499 to $1,899.

Nov. 27 -- Eleven-night voyage from Bombay to Singapore, calling at Cochin, Colombo, Phuket, Penang and Kuala Lumpur. From $5,090 to $11,195, including air fare from New York and hotel stay.

Dec. 20 -- Nine-night voyage from Hong Kong to Singapore, calling at Halong Bay, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City. From $3,890 to $8,390, including air fare from New York and hotel stay.

Jan. 4 -- Eighteen-night voyage from Singapore to Sydney, calling at Semarang, Bali, Darwin, Cairns, Hamilton Island and Brisbane. From $5,645 to $14,395, including air fare from New York and hotel stay. Segments available.

Feb. 3 -- Nine-night voyage from Sydney to Auckland, calling at Melbourne, Milford Sound, Picton and Tauranga. From $3,885 to $8,140, including air fare from New York and hotel stay.

Feb. 13 -- Nine-night cruise from Auckland, calling at Tauranga, Picton, Marlborough and Milford, Doubtful and Dusky Sounds, Dunedin, Christchurch and Wellington. From $3,640 to $7,840, including air fare from New York and hotel stay.

Feb. 22 -- Fourteen-night voyage from Auckland to Papeete, calling at Bay of Islands, Suva and Yasawa (Fiji), Apia (Western Samoa), Pago Pago (American Samoa), Bora Bora and Moorea (French Polynesia). From $4,440 to $11,840, including air fare from New York and hotel stay.

Jan. 2 -- Thirteen-night voyage from Calcutta to Bangkok, calling at Port Blair, Phuket, Penang and Singapore. From $5,184 to $9,900, including air fare from London to Calcutta and return from Bangkok and shore excursions.

Jan. 15 -- Fourteen-night voyage from Bangkok to Hong Kong, calling at Kompong Som, Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang, Da Nang and Halong Bay. From $5,877 to $11,230, including air fare from London to Bangkok and return from Hong Kong and shore excursions.

Jan. 29 -- Sixteen-night voyage from Hong Kong to Bali, calling at Manila, Cebu, Kota Kinabalu, Sandakan, Pare and Komodo. From $5,893 to $11,262, including air fare from London to Hong Kong and return from Bali.

Nov. 7, 18 and 29 -- Eleven-night cruises from Savona, calling at Naples, Sitia (Crete), Alexandria, Port Said, Haifa, Piraeus and Civitavecchia. (Sailing on Nov. 29 ends in Genoa, and sailing on Dec. 27 calls also at Ashdod.) From $2,310 to $4,700, including air fare from New York, Boston and Philadelphia.

Dec. 21 -- Six-night cruise from Genoa, calling at Naples, Malta, Tunis, Palermo and Civitavecchia. From $2,030 to $2,930, including air fare from New York, Boston and Philadelphia.

Nov. 4 -- Ten-night voyage from Venice to Genoa, calling at Iraklion, Limassol, Tartus, Beirut, Rhodes, Piraeus and Civitavecchia. From $2,860 to $4,370, including air fare from New York, Boston and Philadelphia,

Nov. 14 and 25 -- Eleven-night cruise from Genoa, calling at Naples, Santorini, Limassol, Ashdod, Port Said, Alexandria, Piraeus and Civitavecchia. From $2,550 to $4,230, including air fare from New York, Boston and Philadelphia.

Dec. 8 -- Twelve-night voyage from Istanbul to Piraeus, calling at Kusadasi, Santorini, Rhodes, Haifa, Ashdod, Port Said and Alexandria. (Fourteen-night voyage in reverse direction on Dec. 20 also calls at Iraklion and Kusadasi.) From $2,090 to $5,820.

Renaissance Cruises

R1, R5

Capacity 684 and 698 passengers, respectively; 30,200 tons, outdoor pool, spa, casino, open seating, international cuisine, choice of restaurants, no smoking aboard; entered service in 1998 and February this year, respectively.

Year round -- Fifteen-night voyages between Piraeus and Istanbul, calling at Alexandria, Ashdod, Haifa, Limassol, Rhodes, Iraklion and Kusadasi. From $1,799 to $4,799.

December to March -- Series of 10-night voyages from Istanbul, Cairo, Civitavecchia and Piraeus, calling at Kusadasi, Rhodes, Ashdod, Haifa and Alexandria or Naples, Palermo, Cagliari, Tunis and Malta or Rhodes, Katakolon, Messina and Palermo. From $1,999 to $4,099, including air fare.

Feb. 22 -- Fifteen-night voyage from Buenos Aires to La Guaira, calling at Rio de Janeiro, Fortaleza, cruising the Amazon River and Devil's Island. From $2,999 to $11,329, including two-night stay aboard ship for Carnival in Rio.

Dec. 2 -- Twelve-night Amazon River voyage from Barbados to Manaus, calling at St. Lucia, Grenada, Tobago, Devil's Island, Santarem and Boca da Valeria. From $3,345 to $7,700, including air fare from New York.

Dec. 13 -- Fifteen-night voyage from Manaus to Buenos Aires, calling at Boca da Valeria, Santarem, Recife, Rio de Janeiro and Montevideo. From $4,245 to $8,200, including air fare from New York and hotel stay.

Feb. 22 -- Fourteen-night voyage from Valparaiso to Buenos Aires, calling at Puerto Montt, Puerto Chacabuco, Punta Arenas, Ushuaia, Falkland Islands and Montevideo. From $4,245 to $9,700, including air fare from New York and hotel stay.

Nov. 17 -- Seven-night voyage from Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro, calling at Montevideo, Sao Francisco do Sul and Santos. (Voyage in reverse direction on Nov. 24 calls at Punta del Este instead of Santos.) From $5,895 to $12,995, including air fare and hotel stay.

Jan. 2 and 12 -- Thirteen-night cruises from Ushuaia, calling at the northern Antarctic Peninsula and South Shetland Islands. From $6,455 to $14,335.

Feb. 9 -- Sixteen-night voyage from Port Stanley to Ushuaia, calling at Antarctica, the western Falklands and South Shetland Islands. (Nineteen-night voyage in reverse direction on Feb. 22 also calls at South Georgia, South Orkney and Coronation Islands.) From $8,185 to $17,590.

Jan. 2 -- Seven-night voyage from Auckland to Lyttelton, calling at Tauranga, Napier, Wellington, Picton and Kaikoura Peninsula. (Voyage in reverse direction on Feb. 23.) From $5,680 to $7,500, including air fare and hotel stay.

Nantucket Clipper

Capacity 100 passengers; Continental and American cuisine.

Nov. 4 and 18 -- Seven-night Intracoastal Waterway voyages between Jacksonville and Charleston, calling at St. Marys, Brunswick and Savannah. (Voyages in reverse direction on Nov. 11 and 25.) From $1,950 to $3,330.

Dec. 23 to Feb. 17 -- Seven-night British and American Virgin Islands voyages between Antigua and St. Martin, calling at Falmouth Harbour, St. Kitts, Saba, St. Eustatius, Gustavia, St. Barthelemy, Road Harbor, Sandy Cay and Anguilla. From $1,980 to $3,500.

Yorktown Clipper

Capacity 138 passengers; Zodiacs, American cuisine.

Nov. 15 -- Seven-night islands of the Gulf of California cruise from La Paz. From $1,800 to $2,930, including shore excursions.

Nov. 28, Dec. 6 and 10 -- Six-night Panama and Costa Rica voyages between Caldera and Colon, visiting the Darien Jungle and the Panama Canal. From $2,390 to $3,650, including hotel stay in San Jose and shore excursions.

Dec. 21 -- Eight-night voyage from Curacao to Trinidad, calling at Bonaire, Margarita Island and Tobago. From $2,230 to $3,750, including hotel stay.

Dec. 29 -- Seven-night Orinoco River cruise from Trinidad, calling at Ciudad Guayana, Man of War Bay and Tobago. From $1,980 to $3,500.

Jan. 6 to Feb. 24 -- Seven-night Grenadines, Windward and Leeward Islands voyages between Grenada and St. Kitts, calling at Union Island, Bequia, St. Lucia, Dominica and Nevis. From $1,980 to $3,500.

Dec. 9 and Jan. 6 -- Seven-night voyage on Dec. 9 on Spirit of Endeavour from San Diego to Cabo San Lucas and on Jan. 6 on Spirit of '98 from San Diego to La Paz, calling at Ensenada and Bahia Magdalena. From $1,595 to $3,795.

Dec. 16 to Feb. 28 -- Three-, four- and seven-night islands of the Gulf of California cruises departing on Wednesday and Saturday from Cabo San Lucas or La Paz. From $1,095 to $4,695, including shore excursions.

Nov. 20 to Feb. 26 -- Ten- to 19-night cruises from Ushuaia, calling at the Antarctic Peninsula and South Atlantic islands. From $3,795 to $9,895, including hotel stay and shore excursions.

Ambasador I

Capacity 100 passengers; outdoor pool, American cuisine.

Year round -- Eleven-night Galapagos Islands cruises from Baltra. From $3,215 to $5,085, including air fare from Miami.

Eclipse

Capacity 48 passengers; outside pool, American cuisine.

Year round -- Twelve-night Galapagos Islands cruises from Isla San Cristobal. From $4,245 to $4,845, including air fare from Miami.

Skorpios I, Skorpios II, Skorpios III

Capacity 76 to 130 passengers; Continental cuisine.

Nov. 6 to Feb. 26 -- Ten-night Chilean coastal cruises from Puerto Montt, including fjords and visit to San Rafael Glacier. From $2,835 to $3,825, including air fare from Miami, hotel stay and shore excursions.

Terra Australis

Capacity 114 passengers; Continental cuisine, tips included.

Nov. 4 to Feb. 24 -- Eleven-night cruises of Chile's Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego region departing on Saturday from Punta Arenas, including the Almirantazgo and D'Agostini Fjords, Ballenero and O'Brien Channels and Ushuaia. From $2,885 to $3,585, including air fare from Miami and hotel stay. Segments available.

November to March -- Eight- to 21-night Antarctic cruises from Ushuaia, calling at the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland, the Falkland and the South Georgia Islands. From $4,695 to $9,495, including air fare, hotel stay and shore excursions.

Metropolitan Touring

Isabela II, Santa Cruz

Capacity 40 and 90 passengers, respectively; international cuisine.

Year round -- Seven-night Galapagos cruises from Baltra. From $1,784 to $3,625, including shore excursions.

Norwegian Coastal Voyage

Kong Harald, Nordkapp, Nordlys, Nordnorge, Polarlys and Richard With and five other Norwegian coastal vessels

Capacity 464 to 490 passengers; fitness center, Scandinavian cuisine.

Year round -- Five-, six- and 11-night cruises from Bergen or between Bergen and Kirkenes, calling variously at 34 ports along the coast of Norway. From $715 to $2,195.

Nov. 22, Dec. 11 and Jan. 7 -- Nineteen-night cruises from Ushuaia, visiting the Falkland Islands, the South Georgia and the South Shetland Islands, Cuverville Island and Ronge Island, the Antarctic Peninsula, the Neumayer and Lemaire Channels and Drake Passage. (Additional sailing on Feb. 21 calls also at the Orkney Islands.) From $7,695 to $10,395, including hotel stay and shore excursions.

Dec. 3 to Feb. 14 -- Twenty-four and 25-night Antarctic cruises from Hobart (Tasmania) or between Hobart and Bluff (New Zealand), calling in the Ross Sea and the sub-Antarctic Islands of New Zealand. From $13,795 to $21,495, including hotel stay and shore excursions.

Dec. 13 to Feb. 27 -- Ten- to 20-night cruises from Ushuaia, exploring the Falkland, South Orkney and South Shetland Islands and other islands, channels and straits of Antarctica. From $3,095 to $10,995, including hotel stay and shore excursions.

Nov. 30 -- Eighteen-night voyage from Punta Arenas to Ushuaia, calling at the Falkland South Georgia and South Orkney Islands and the Antarctic Peninsula. (Additional voyages on Dec. 18 and Jan. 15 depart from Ushuaia.) From $8,410 to $17,940, including hotel stay and shore excursions.

Nov. 4 to Feb. 24 -- Seven-night cruises departing on Saturday from Barbados, calling at the Grenadine and the Windward Islands, including Martinique, St. Lucia, Bequia, Tobago Cays, Grenada and Captain's Best (Grenadines) or Martinique, Les Saintes, Antigua, St. Kitts, Dominica and St. Lucia. From $1,575 to $4,695.

November to May -- Five-night cruises departing on Monday from St. Thomas, calling at Jost Van Dyke, St. John, Norman Island, St. Croix, Tortola and Vieques. From $1,100 to $1,525.

Mandalay

Capacity 72 passengers; three-mast, 236-foot bark, American cuisine.

November to May -- Twelve-night voyages departing on Mondays between Grenada and Antigua, calling at Bequia, Canouan, Carriacou, Dominica, Les Saintes, Martinique, Mayreau, Nevis, St. Lucia and St. Vincent. From $1,875 to $2,225.

November to May -- Five-night cruises departing on Monday from St. Martin, calling at St.-Barthelemy, Anguilla, Tintamarre and Saba or St.-Barthelemy, St. Eustatius, Nevis and St. Kitts. From $700 to $1,200.

Dec. 16 to Feb. 24 -- Seven-night cruises from Caldera, calling at San Juan del Sur (Nicaragua), Playa Flamingo, Quepos, San Josecitos, Curu National Rafuge and Tortuga Island. From $2,482 to $4,290, including air fare from Miami to San Jose, Costa Rica, on Dec. 16 only.

Nov. 4 -- Seven-night voyage from Civitavecchia to Nice, calling at Bonifacio, Portoferraio, Portovenere, St.-Tropez and Monte Carlo. (Eight-night voyage from Nice to Lisbon on Nov. 11 calls at Majorca, Valencia, Malaga and Tangier.) From $2,263 to $7,398, including round-trip air fare from New York.

Capacity 210 passengers; 5,600 tons, outdoor pool, fitness center, casino, international cuisine; entered service as the San Georgio in 1956, renovated in 1992.

Year round -- Sixteen- to 23-night cruises from Mombasa, calling variously at Zanzibar, Shungu Mbili, Mayotte, Nosy Be, the Maldive Islands and the Seychelles. From $3,495 to $14,900, including air fare from New York and hotel stay.

Mediterranean Shipping Cruises

Monterey

Capacity 550 passengers; 20,000 tons, outdoor pool, fitness center, casino, international and Italian cuisine; entered service as the Free State Mariner in 1952, refurbished in 1998.

Nov. 12 -- Fifteen-night voyage from Mombasa to Bombay, calling at Zanzibar, Mayotte (Comoro Islands), Nosy Komba (Madagascar), Mahe (Seychelles), Male (Maldives) and Goa. From $6,690 to $14,645, including air fare from New York and hotel stay.

Nov. 8 -- Fourteen-night voyage from Antalya to Aqaba, calling at Tasucu, Iskenderun, Latakia, Tartus, Tripoli, Beirut, Alexandria, Port Said and Sharm el Sheik. From $4,560 to $8,968, including air fare from London to Antalya and return from Aqaba and shore excursions.

Nov. 22 -- Fourteen-night voyage from Aqaba to Dubai, calling at Sharm el Sheik, Safaga, Hodeidah, Salalah and Muscat. From $4,568 to $8,984, including air fare from London to Aqaba and return from Dubai and shore excursions.

Dec. 13 -- Fourteen-night voyage from Dubai to Colombo, calling at Fujaira, Muscat, Mumbai, Goa and Kochi. From $4,488 to $10,048, including air fare from London to Dubai and return from Colombo and shore excursions.

Feb. 13 -- Fifteen-night voyage from Bali to Colombo, calling at Semarang, Singapore, Port Kelang, Penang and Port Blair. From $5,667 to $10,843, including air fare from London to Bali and return from Colombo shore and excursions.